Honey//Happy Heart [Original recording remastered]

Editorial Reviews
Album Details
Remastered Two on One Reissue of his Two Classic 1968 and 1969 Releases.

Tracks:

The Impossible Dream (The Quest)
This Is My Song
By The Time I Get To Phoenix
Theme From 'Valley Of The Dolls'
Scarborough Fair/Canticle
Love Is Blue (L'Amour Est Bleu)
Honey (I Miss You)
Windy
Our Last Goodbye
Spooky
Up, Up And Away
For Once In My Life
Where's The Playground Susie?
My Way
Wichita Lineman
Happy Heart
Gentle On My Mind
Didn't We
Memories
Little Green Apples
Here, There And Everywhere
Abraham, Martin And John

Customer Reviews:

Sweet Honey.......2007-01-27

The album "Honey" came at a time where Andy Williams was hitting a creative peak, teaming with producer Nick De Caro, who truly understood Andy's vocal gifts. The arranging, by Nick De Caro, fits Mr. Williams' voice like a glove. "This Is My Song", originally a hit for Petula Clark, is the best example of his voice being surrounded by an arrangement that expresses the true strength and warmth that makes Andy Williams a superior interpreter of music and lyrics. The arrangements are tasteful ("Scarborough Fair/Canticle", "Theme From Valley of the Dolls") and contemporary ("Spooky"). A stunning album.
The album "Happy Heart" found Andy working with producer Jerry Fuller, who guided Andy from the late 60's through the early 70's. "Little Green Apples" is the highlight, with Andy bringing much warmth and conviction. It must have made the author Bobby Russell proud. What a treat to have three (!) Jimmy Webb compositions: "Where's the Playground, Susie?", the most wonderful "Wichita Lineman and "Didn't We". An especially personal choice was "Abraham, Martin and John", since the Williams family was close friends with the Kennedy family, closes out the album, poignantly.

Sixties classics covered by Emperor of Easy.......2003-09-06

These two albums, from 1968 and 1969, are filled with covers of songs that were popular at the time, including no less than four Glen Campbell classics (By the time I get to Phoenix, Where's the playground Susie, Wichita lineman and Gentle on my mind), all of which were written by Jimmy Webb. Another of Jimmy's compositions, Up up and way, is also included.

Other great songs here include This is my song (Petula Clark), Happy heart (the only original song here, which Andy and Petula both recorded around the same time), Here there and everywhere (Beatles), Honey (Bobby Goldsboro), Little green apples (Roger Miller), My way (Frank Sinatra), For once in my life (Stevie Wonder), Windy (Association) and Scarborough fair/ Canticle (Simon and Garfunkel).

However, the outstanding track here is Abraham Martin and John. Andy covers this Motown classic superbly, even adding a bit about Bobby Kennedy to the three other martyrs.

Andy has shown elsewhere that he can sing original material but on this collection, he demonstrates that he is quite content to record covers, stamping his own identity on each song.

Andy Williams: An under-rated artist.......2001-01-11

"Honey" is one of pop music's best songs ever. Where regretfully Sinatra never covered it, Andy Williams made this Bobby Golsboro hit his. Songwriter Bobby Russell (who also wrote "Little Green Apples" and "With Pen in Hand") expresses pathos like no other. Nick DeCaro, who also penned "Our Last Goodbye," shines on the Honey album arrangements. Rock-and-Roll Hall-of-Famer and legendary drumer Hal Blaine does a spectacular job(listen to "Windy"). I love the rendition of "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" except for the tacky piano that attempts to simulate the 'phone that keeps on ringing...' On the Happy Heart album, Webb's "Didn't We" is the zenith and perhaps the best pop version of the song. Sinatra's version is too tragic and Streisand's overly dramatic treatment would have worked better for Judy Garland. During the first few bars of title song "Happy Heart" you'll hear a perfect harmonic (and enharmonic) blend of a well recorded vocal* and a harpsichord where you will experience a welcomed absence of vocal recording distortion present on the "Arms of Love," "Wine and Roses," "Dear Heart" or "Call Me Irresponsible" Williams LPs. For the phenomenal song "For Once In My Life," I would have preferred a "Didn't We"-type treatment rather than a rhythmic treatment better suited for a more rhytm-gifted performer like Stevie Wonder. Williams delivers a heartfelt "Memories" and convincing interpretations of Glen Campbell's hits "Wichita Lineman" and "Playground Susie." I hope this new label will release more Andy Williams treasures where Columbia/Sony have stopped short. One desperately overdue in its entirity on CD format is "Love Theme from the Godfather (Speak Softly Love)." Other albums that should be released in their entirity are "The Days of Wine and Roses," "The Way We Were," and "You Lay So Easy On My Mind"

*Andy Williams recordings have achieved among the best {vocal cord}-{analog hi-fi} matches in history. The other obvious ones are Nat Cole and Karen Carpenter

Long overdue reissue of 2 classic 60's albums!.......2000-03-17

This cd has the first 2 albums that I bought in the 60's by the best voice of his generation, Mr. Andy Williams. Thanks to Collectables for doing what Columbia/Sony should have done years ago. Hope Collectables continue to reissue Andy's Columbia Records catalog with the same concept(2 albums per cd) and with latest technology remastering. I highly recommend this cd!

After all this time ---.......1999-12-28

"Honey" was an album my brother owned when were only 9 years old. That's right, when other kids were watching cartoons, or listening to the Beatles; we were listening to Andy Williams. Anyway, after all this time I came across this CD and immediately purchased it through Amazon to relive my childhood. I wasn't disappointed. Every song is an adaptation of popular songs during this time, but Andy's fresh, silk-like, soft presentation provides a new way to enjoy the song. In fact, Honey as sung by Andy was the first way I ever heard the song sung, and everyone else who I later singing it came up short. Thanks for the memories "Collectibles" and Andy.